Indexing mechanism for cylinders or the like



Sept. 8, 1925. 1,552,598

A. E. DRISSNER ET AL INDEXINQ MECHANISM FOR CYLINDERS OR THE LIKE Filed May 11, 1923 2 Shoots-Sh. 1

Q N w m g Sept. 8, 1925. 1,552,598

A. E. DRISSNER ET AL INDEXING MECHANISM FOR CYLINDERS OR THE LIKE Filed May 11, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT caries.

ALFRED E. DRISSNEBI, OF CLEVELAND, AN D FRED K. RAND,.OF CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE NATIONAL ACME COMPANY, OF. CLEVELAND, OHIO, A

CORPORATION OF OHIO.

INDEXING MECHANISM FOR CYLINDERS OR THE LIKE.

Application filed May 11, 1923. Serial No; 638,338.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALFRED E. DRISSNER and FRED K. RAND, both citizens of the United States, Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, of Ohio, and said RAND residing at Cleveland Heights, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indexing Wechanism for Cylinders or the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to indexing mechanism for cylinders, turrets, or spindle carriers, particularly adapted for use in various types of metal working machines, an object of the invention being to provide an improved indexing mechanism operative for indexing the cylinder or the like without imparting momentum to the cylinder upon completion of the indexing ope-ration. I

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved indexing mechanism, which will index or rotate the cylinder or turret from one station to the next, and which at the same time will positively control or absorb the momentum of the cylinder, so that when the cylinder is completely indexed it will be at rest without momentum. Hence, in the present mechanism the operation is such as to prevent any shock upon the locking mechanism for the cylin der, thereby providing a mechanism of greater durability, efliciency and effectiveness in operation and enabling the same tofunction more efficiently, smoothly, and

quietly.

A further object of this invention is-to provide an improved indexing mechanism for cylinders or the like on high speed machines, and comprising cams adapted to index the cylinder accurately at all times without imparting momentum thereto at the completion of the indexing operation, and adapted to index the cylinder without resulting in any shocks upon the locking mechanism for the cylinder.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, referen'ce being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the several views, and wherein Fig. 1 isia said DRISSNER residing at and State in the county of Cuy-ahoga sectional end elevation illustrating the mechanism in starting posltion; Figs. 2, 3, 4,- and 5 are snmlar views ill'ustratmg successive steps in the indexing operation; and

Fig. 6 is-a fragmentary side elevation of the machine illustratmg the mechanism.

Before explammg in detail the present improvementand mode of operation there of, we desire to have it understood that the invention is not limitedto the details of con-' struction and arrangement of parts which are illustrated in the accompanying draw ings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments, and that the phraseology which we employ is for the purpose of'description and not of limitation.

Heretofore inmechanisms for indexing breakage thereof and in general impair the accurate indexing of the cylinder. Furthermore the shocks incident-tothe stopping of the rotation of the cylinder after index"- ing resulted in considerable noise, vibration and jarring, thus resulting in a serious disadvantage in the proper functioning of the machine. I

The foregoing disadvantages have been eliminated by virtue of the present inven tion, and the indexing mechanism in this instance operates topositively control the momentum of the cylinder, so that the locking mechanism does not have to stop the cylinder upon the completion of the indexing operation, since the indexing mechanism:

' itself absorbs the momentum of. the cylinder,

so that when the indexing is completedthe cylinder is at completerest and the locking bolt merely drops into'place to lock the cylinder. On high speed machines this is especially advantageous, and it has been found in actual practice and operation ofthis improved mechanism. that the elimination of shocks heretoforev presenthwhen the locking bolt stopped the cylinder results in greater efliciency, accuracy and smoothness in operation.

In the drawings only such parts of the machine as are necessary for a complete understanding of the present invention having been shown, and it will be seen that the cylinder 4 having a plurality of spindles A, B, C, and D located therein is suitably mounted for rotation upon the machine, and is securely locked in position by suitable locking mechanism (not shown) at the several indexing stations. In the bed 6 of the machine below the cylinder 1 a hole is bored for the reception of a stud 7, which is securely held therein by means of a nut 8.

. On the opposite end of the stud 7 ismounted an indexing gear 9, the teeth of which mesh with teeth 5 preferably machined on the periphery of the cylinder 4. The number of teeth on the indexing gear and cylinder are so related that when the indexing gear 9 turns one-third of a revolution the cylinder 4 will be turned thereby one-quarter of a revolution, or that fraction of a revolution corresponding to the number of stations or spindles. The gear 9 turns freely on the stud 7, th latter being suitably held fromturning, and the indexing gear is held in place against endwise movement by means of a flange 7 a on the end of thestud 7.

Mounted upon the flange 7 and secured thereto for rotation as by means of pivot screws 10, are a plurality of cam rollers 1, 2,and 3, these being shown in the present instance spaced at equal distances apart.

Secured to the cam shaft 12 for rotation therewith is an indexing lever 13. The lever 13 projects radially from the cam shaft'and is provided with ail-enlarged end 14:,the inner surface of which is preferably flat, so as to permit a series of cams 17, 18, and 19 to be readily secured in position thereon. These cams, as will be seen, are bolted to the inner fiat face of the lever 13, and are so spaced from each other and shaped as to form a channel therethrough to permit-the passage of the rollers. These cams are so machined as to cause them to act upon the rollers 1, 2, and 3 at predetermined. times and thereby index the cylinder.

In the operation of the present improved indexing mechanism and referring particularly to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the cam shaft which revolves in the direction of the arrow will revolve the lever 13, causing the latter to move in the direction of the arrow. The cam roller 1 travels into the channel at 30, and passes between the tapering faces 23 and 18 of the cams 17 and 18. When the inclined or angular face 20 of the cam 17 strikes the roller 1, the indexing lever willcause the gear 9 to startturning, there'- by-commencing the indexing of the cylin- 20, so that the momentum created by the cylinder 4 will not accelerate the rotation of the index gear 9 and interfere with the accurate timing of the mechanism.

As the indexing lever 13 rotates or swings further to the position shown in Fig. 2 the angular faces 23 and 24 of the cam 13 will be brought into position to engage the cam rollers2 and 3. From the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3, the

indexing gear 9 isturned by means of the cam faces of the cam 17 engaging the rollers 1 and 2, it being seen that the angular face 23 engages roller 2 and forces it to'travel downwardly thereover to the position illustrated in Fig. 3, at which point in the indexing operation the cam roller 1 will have passed above the apex 26 formed byangular faces 20 and 28 of cam 17 to the top center 25 of the indexing lever. During this movement from the position of Fig. 2 to the position of Fig. 3 the cam roller 3 engages the angular face 24 of cam 17, and travels thereover, this roller acting to guide or steady the indexing lever, and to absorb the momentum created by the cam 17 acting upon rollers 1 and 2. i

From the position shownin Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. t the rotation of the cam lever 13 will bring the cam roller 1 into engagement with the inclined cam face 27 of cam 19, and at this time it will be seen that the cam 19 cooperates with the cam face 23 of cam 17. It will be seen that the cam 19 acting on roller 1 cooperates with the. cam face 23 actingon roller 2 for the purpose of further rotating the indexing gear 9. During this time the cam face 28 engages roller 1, and together with the roller 3 acting on cam face 2 1 resists the tendency of the cylinder to gather momentum. From the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 5, the rotation of the indexing lever will cause the cam rollers 2 and 3 to ride off the angular faces 23 and 2 1 of the cam 17 and the completion of the indexing is caused by the angular face 27 of cam 19 acting upon the cam roller 1, and during this time any tendency of the cylinder to gather momentum is prevented partially by means of roller 2 and by means of the angular face 28 of cam 17 engaging the cam roller 1 and holding it against cam face 27.

In the position illustrated in Fig. 5, the cam roller 1 has reached the same position as cam roller 2 in Fig. 1 and the indexing of the cylinder is then completed. Further rotation of the cam shaft 12 will cause the roller 1 to pass out of the end 31 of the channel between the cams. Upon completion of the indexing operation the cylinder. is locked in position, and the usual lock bolt (not shown) simply drops into place in the station on the cylinder and does not have to stop the cylinder, so that as a result there is. no shock whatsoever upon. the lock bolt.

It will be seen from the foregoing operation that the indexing mechanism not only operates to index the cylinder but also acts to positively prevent any tendency of the cylinder to gather momentum during the indexing thereof, since the cooperation of the cams on the indexing lever with the cam rollers on the index-ing gear absorbs the momentum of the cylinder. Therefore, when the indexing is completed it will be seen that the cylinder is completely at rest, and will have been indexed or turned exactly to the point necessary for the locking mechanism to move into position for looking the cylinder. Hence, at the end of the indexing there is no shock on the locking mechanism for the cylinder, nor is there any necessity for separate stop means for arresting the momentum of the cylinder, since in the present instance the cylinder has no momentum after it is indexed, and as a result there are no shocks or vibrations im parted to the cylinder, which tend to impair the effective operation thereof.

It will also be seen from the foregoing that when the index gear 9'st-arts to revolve through the action of the camming mechanism located between the index gear and the index lever 13, the cylinder 4 also revolves by virtue of the gear teeth 5 on the cylinder meshing with the teeth on the index gear. The indexing of the cylinder thus changes the positions of the spindles, and after each indexing operation each spindle will be moved tothe position occupied by the spindle in advance thereof. As shown in Fig. 5, after the completion of the indexing, spindle A occupies the position of spindle B inFig. 1 at the commencement of the indexing operation.

Referring to Figures 1 and 5 it will be seenv that when the cam roller 1 reaches the lower end of the working face 27 of the cam 19 it will be at rest since the tendency of the cylinder to gather momentum and throw the index gear ahead will be prevented by cam face 28 engaging the roller. As the roller 1 passes out of channel 31 it will travel between the outwardly tapering faces 29 and 2 1, and will ride lightly over the angular face 29.

From the foregoing it will be seen that we have provided means for indexing the cylinder or turret into a position of restat the completion of the indexing'operation. The oamming mechanism: is so organized and so operates that while certain cant faces coaot with cam rollers to rotatethe indexingv gear, other cam faces will coaot with certain cam rollers to counteract the tendency of the cylinder to gather momentum. The mechanism of this invention therefore positively prevents the cylinder from becoming It is. to be understood that by describing in detail herein any particular form, structure, or arrangement, it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims or the requirements of the prior art.

Having thus explained the nature of this invention anddescribed' a way of constructing and using the same, althoughwithout attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it be made, or all the modes ofits use, we claim:

1. The combination of an intermittently rotatable member, means for intermittently rotating the same and comprising a cam. element, and a pair of angular cam faces successively operating upon: said element to rotate said member, and cam means operat-. ing intermediate the operations ofsaid angular cam faces for rotating said member.

2. The combination of an intermittently rotatable member, means for intermittently rotating the same and" comprising a cam element, and a pair of angular cam faces successively operating upon said element to rotate. said member, cam means operating intermediate the operations of said angular cam faces for rotating said member, and means for guiding said member against acceleration during the rotation thereof.

8. The combination of an intermittently rotatable member, a: rotatable member for indexing the same, one'of said members having a pair of cams secured thereto and the other member having a cam element acted upon by adjacent faces of said cams during the indexing operation, and a. cam element acted uponby an exterior face of one of said cams during the indexing operation.

1. The combination of an intermittently rotatable member, a rotatable member for indexing the same, one of said members having a pair of cams secured thereto and the other member having a. cam element acted upon by adjacent faces of said cams during the indexing operation, and a pair of cam element's acted upon by exterior faces of one of said cams during the indexing operation.

5'. The combination. of an intermittently.

I posite ends thereof, said guide rotatable member,

rotatable member, means 7 thereof for rotatable member, a rotatable member for indexing the same, said members having one a guide channel tapering inwardly at opchannel intermediate said tapering portions having two pairs of parallel walls angularly related, and said other member having a. cam element adapted to travel through said guide channel during the indexing operation.

6. The combination of an intermittently rotatable member, a rotatable member for indexing the same, said members having one a guide channel tapering inwardly at opposite ends thereof, and an exterior cam face, saidguide channel intermediate said tapering portions having two pairs of paral-' lel walls angul'arly related, and said other member having a camelement adapted to travel through said guide channel during the indexing operation, and a cam element.

coaeting with said exterior cam face.

7. The combmatlon of an lntermlttently rotatable member, means for intermittently rotating the same and comprlsing a cam element and a pair of cam faces acting uponsaid element for rotating said member, and means for guldlng said member agalnst acceleration during the rotation thereof.

8. The combination of an intermittently rotatable member, means for intermittently rotating the same and comprising a pair of cam elements and three cam faces acting successively upon said cam elements to rotate said member. I

9, The combination of an intermittently means for intermittently rotating the same and comprising a pair of cam elements and three cam faces acting successively upon said cam elements to rotate said member, and means for guiding said member against acceleration'during the rotation thereof.

10. The combination of an intermittently for intermittently rotating the same and comprising a single cam element and two pairs of parallel cam faces acting thereon, and means independent guiding said member against acceleration.

11. The combination of a rotatable cylinder, gear mechanism cooperating therewith, a shaft, an indexing'member connected to said shaft, a plurality of cam operated elements carried by said gear mechanism, and

' a pair of cams carried by saidindexing member and having cam faces acting successively upon said elements for indexing the cylinder.

12. The combination of a rotatable cylinder, gear mechanism cooperating therewith, a shaft, an indexing member connected to said shaft, a plurality of cam rollers, camming means having a cam face movable into engagement with one of said rollers for roder,

7 U a shaft, an lndexing lever connected to sald shaft, and a pair of spaced cams and cam operated elements carried by said gear mechanism and indexing lever, one of said cams engaging a cam element for rotating the gear mechanism, and oneof the cams engaging another cam' element for movement during the rotation of the gear mechanism.

14. The combination of a rotatable cylingear mechanism cooperating therewith,

guiding a shaft, an indexing lever connected to said shaft, and cooperating cam means and cam operated elements carried by said gear mechanism and indexing lever, a pair of said cam means operating upon an element during part of the indexing operation, and one of said cam means operating .upon a pair of elements during a part of the indexing operation. p

15. The combination of a rotatable cylinder, gear mechanism cooperating therewith,

a shaft, an indexing lever connected to said shaft, and cooperating cams and cam rollers carried by said gear mechanism and indexing lever, a pair of said cams operating upon a roller during part. of the indexing operation, one of. the cams operating upon a pair of rollers during a part of the indexing operation, and a different pair of cams operating upon one of the rollers during a part of the indexing operation.

16. The combination of an intermittently rotatable member, means for intermittently rotating the same and comprising a pair of cam elements and three angular cam faces acting thereon to rotate said member.

17. The combination of an intermittently rotatable member, means for intermittently rotating the same and comprising a plurality of cam elements and a pluarity of cam faces, three cam faces acting upon two rollers to rotate said member and three cam faces acting upon two rollers to maintain the same against momentum.

18. The combination of a cylinder, means for indexing the same and comprising a rotatable'indexing member and a driven member intermittently rotated thereby, one of saidmembers having a channel forming opposits interior cam faces and also having an exterior cam face, and the other member having a cam element acted upon by said interior cam faces, and a cam element acted upon by said exterior cam face during the indexing operation.

19. The combination of a cylinder, means for indexing it comprising a rotatable indexing member and a driven member intermittently rotated thereby, one of said mem bers having a channel forming opposite interior cam faces and also having a pair of exterior cam faces, and the other member having a cam element acted upon by said interior cam faces, and a pair of cam elements acted upon by said exterior cam faces during the indexing operation.

20. The combination of a turret, means for indexing the same and comprising a plurality of cam faces and rollers, a plurality of cam faces acting simultaneously upon one roller, and a plurality acting upon a plurality of rollers to accomplish the indexing operation.

21. The combination of a turret, means for indexing the same and comprising a plurality of cam faces and rollers, a pair of cam faces acting on a single roller and another cam face acting on a roller to index said turret.

22. The combination of a rotatable cy1inder, means for indexing the cylinder and comprising gear mechanism and a rotatable indexing member, aid mechanism and member having cam means and cam rollers, and including four cam faces acting upon three rollers at one time.

23. The combination of a rotatable cylinder, cam means for indexing the cylinder and comprising a plurality of cam faces and cam rollers, a pair of cam faces acting upon a roller at the beginning of the indexing operation, three or more cam faces operating upon three rollers at another time, and a pair of cam faces operating upon a roller during the completion of the indexing operation.

24. The combination of a rotatable cylinder, cam means for indexing the cylinder and comprising a plurality of cam faces and cam rollers, a pair of cam faces being parallel and operating upon a roller at a given time, and a pair of cam faces being angularly related and operating upon a pair of cam rollers at a given time.

25. The combination of a rotatable cylinder, cam means for indexing the cylinder I and comprising a plurality of cam faces and cam rollers, a pair of cam faces being parallel and operating upon a roller at a given time, a pair of cam faces being angularly related and operating upon a pair of cam rollers at a given time, and another pair of cam faces being parallel and operating upon a cam roller at a given time.

26'. The combination of an intermittently rotatable member, and cam mechanism for intermittently rotating the same, said mechanism comprising a plurality of sets of means for rotating said member and three sets of means for maintaining the same against momentum.

27. The combination of a rotatable cylinder, means for indexing the same and including a plurality of cam faces and cam rollers, a pair of said cam faces operating upon a roller and located at an angle to each other, another cam face operating on a roller and located at an angle to one of said pair of cam faces, and another cam face operating on a roller and located at an angle to one of said cam faces.

28. The combination of a rotatable cylinder, means for indexing the same and including a plurality of cam faces and cam rollers, a pair of said cam faces operating successively upon a roller and located at an angle to each other, another pair of cam faces being parallel to said first pair and operating also on said roller, another cam face operating on a second roller and located at an angle to one of said cam faces, and another cam face operating on a third roller and located at an angle to said last mentioned cam face.

Signed at Cleveland, Ohio, this 7th day of May 1923.

ALFRED E. DRISSNER. FRED K. RAND. 

